Neophyte Sam Bennett knows some difficult days at the Tour de France. The Bora-Argon 18 is not in a good shape and hopes to finish the french race. But the way is long before the finish line in Paris with four mountain stages in Alpes with three summit finishes, especially because his preparation was not perfect.

“I don’t feel so good and I think it’s too early to be feeling not so good,” the Irishman told Cyclingnews. “It looks so much easier on TV. The preparation wasn’t ideal and I think it shows. And then when the form isn’t good, you just can’t fight for position so I’m fighting a losing battle really. It’s on TV worldwide and you want to perform but you’re one of the guys they show when they switch to the back of the bunch and you’re struggling. I don’t really like that."

Bennett emerged from first two weeks in 169rd place overall. He is the lanterne rouge. "I know there’s a prize for that but I don’t want to get that,” Bennett laughed. “I don’t want to get it but I’ll probably end up last on GC in the next few days."

“I’m not thinking about stages or anything like that,” he said. “There’s maybe one sprint before the Champs-Élysées but I’m gone into survival mode.”